***NEWS RELEASE***
CENTREVILLE, MD – Queen Anne’s County Public Schools (QACPS) is proud to celebrate another standout year in the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Students from Kent Island High School (KIHS) and Queen Anne’s County High School (QACHS) were recognized for their creative excellence, earning a combined 70 regional art awards.
This year, QACPS students submitted 118 art entries, with 42 students receiving honors—a reflection of the exceptional talent and creative dedication being cultivated in QACPS arts programs.
Kent Island High School (KIHS):
- 2 Gold Key
- 8 Silver Keys
- 31 Honorable Mentions
Queen Anne’s County High School (QACHS):
- 1 Gold Key
- 5 Silver Keys
- 23 Honorable Mentions
Michael Bell, Supervisor of Visual & Performing Arts, praised the students’ accomplishments:
“This program gives our students something incredibly rare—regional and national recognition for their personal voice and vision. It challenges them to create work that’s raw, honest, and powerful. These awards validate not just the talents of our students, but their courage.”
QACPS extends its congratulations to all award winners and participating students, as well as the dedicated educators who continue to elevate the arts in our schools. The district remains committed to fostering creativity and providing meaningful opportunities like Scholastic that amplify student voices.
🎥 Watch the video of the award-winning student artists!
Mr. Bell also recognizes the efforts of English/Language Arts Supervisor Bridget Passyn for promoting Scholastic Art & Writing opportunities to her teachers. Thanks to this cross-departmental collaboration, Queen Anne’s County High School recently announced that William Wyatt Arnold became the district’s first-ever National Scholastic Writing Award Winner. Wyatt earned a Silver Medal for his exceptional work in the Flash Fiction category.
Regionally, he also earned 1 Gold Key and 5 Silver Keys for his entries in both flash fiction and short story categories—showcasing that not only visual arts, but also exceptional literary talent is emerging from QACPS classrooms.
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are open to students in grades 7–12 across the U.S. and Canada and recognize original works across 28 categories of art and writing. For more information on how to participate, visit artandwriting.org.
Download a PDF copy of the news release here.